IGT

The Love of God Who Sent His Son to die

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17).

I watched as a young child of about eight or nine become very dejected during a teaching at a local church. The instructor was speaking about the love of God that He sent His Son to die. The child, who I thought was not really paying attention, was noticeably startled and then became very agitated. He then blurted out in a very condemning way, “He sent His Son to die!” The teacher hardly stopped her narrative answering “yes” and continuing on with her thoughts, not noticing the confusion upon this child’s face and oblivious to his obvious internal struggle. I just knew that he was mulling over the paradox of those two statements – “love of God” and “sending His Son to die.” I wondered that the child might be more inclined to believe that it was the cruelty of God that He would actually send His Son to die. Either way, during that segment of the event, his question was not answered.

This led me to remember a former supervisor that I had when I was young who claimed to be a devout atheist - which in my estimation takes a lot of belief to maintain. Anyway, Frank, in his rantings against Christianity and Christians, often claimed to have been involved in church and church activities including camps as a child. He cited one particular incident at camp that completely turned him away from church forevermore. It was a teacher who did not properly answer the question of what happens to a very young child if he dies without being saved. Of course, Frank rebelled, believing that if God would send an “innocent” child to Hell, well, he wanted nothing more to do with Him. Frank was already in his late forties when I first met him and by that age he would have had numerous opportunities to search out the truth of the matter. However, it had become an excuse to stay in a constant rebellion of God until his eventual death. Even upon his deathbed he steadfastly claimed atheism to be his truth.

Christians are called into various aspects of service for the Lord - teachers, pastors, helpers, etc. However, we are all called to be witnesses by our daily walk. As the unsaved notice the obvious differences between your conduct and theirs, you will be asked questions designed to trip you up into giving confusing answers that may not be biblically sound. To avoid this, know your Bible. Anticipate questions and practice biblically sound answers. Be prepared to give a reason for your faith and for the hope that is in you and of an eternal future with God …sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 peter 3:15-17).

Of course, teachers will sometimes make mistakes or, in large groups, miss the “one” that misunderstands or misinterprets the message. In the case of the young child who thought God cruel for sending His Son to His death, there were others in the church who were there to help. The child needed to understand that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one Being that exists in three Persons. They are in complete and total agreement - for they are one God. It is a very difficult concept and it is really beyond complete understanding. Yet, we know that it is true.

Therefore, Jesus, being God the Son, was in complete agreement with the Father regarding Him dying for our sins. Jesus knew each and every one of us even before the Earth was ever created. He also knew that we all would have one very big problem - sin. Jesus knew that if mankind were created that He would one day need to offer Himself up as a sacrifice for our sins. Yet, Jesus being …the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (1 Colossians 1:15-17), did not hesitate to go ahead with creating the heavens, the Earth, and you and I. Jesus chose to die in our places; to shed his blood to cover our sins that we could be forgiven.

It is my prayer that through sound biblical teaching, this child now understands that it was because of God’s incredible love that Jesus willingly chose to lay down his life on that cross. There is no greater love than to willingly die that another would be saved. Jesus, in complete agreement with His Father, did just that - for you.

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